Carrington church separates from ELCA

May 28, 2011

CARRINGTON The congregation of Trinity Lutheran Church in Carrington voted May 22 to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The 161 to 16 vote represented 91 percent approval. It was the second and final vote, coming after a similar vote in February, according to Darwin Solberg, church council president.

Solberg said the congregation decided at its annual meeting in January 2010 to join with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, which allows for considerable local church autonomy. The decision was prompted by a national ELCA vote in August 2009 to allow clergy to be in committed same-sex relationships, he said. After continued research and more than a year of dual affiliations, Trinity went ahead this year with the steps needed to separate from the ELCA.